Invalid lift for automobiles



M y 21, 7 c. E. WHITE INVALID LIFT FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed NOV. 30, 1953 lrrmwix This invention relates to an invalid lift whereby an invalid may be lifted from a wheel chair or the like into an automobile and placed on a seat in the vehicle, and

the same invalid lift may be used to again move the invalid from within the vehicle and on to a wheel chair adjacent to that vehicle.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel invalid lift which can be quickly and easily mounted within the door opening of a vehicle and effectively supported therein so that the invalid may be swung through the door opening of the vehicle.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel invalid lift in which the lift assembly is mounted in the door opening of the vehicle by means of dowels which extend into suitable openings drilled or formed in the door frame.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel invalid lift which is simple and easy to operate and which can be actuated by the invalid himself if necessary.

A feature of my invention is to provide a novel invalid lift of the character stated inwhich the lift mechanism or jack is mounted adjacent to and is attached to the supporting post of the lift so that all the parts are thus compact and are arranged in a substantially vertical position.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may apepar from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invalid lift in position on an automobile.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same as viewed from the line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the jack, post and sleeve.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the automobile or other vehicle 1 includes a door opening 2 which consists of an upper ledge 3 and bottom ledge 4. Within the vehicle the usual seat 5 is provided upon which the invalid is to be placed. The invalid lift 6 consists of a vertical post 7 which is held in a fixed vertical position in the following manner: The plate or fitting 8 has a sleeve 9 fixedly attached thereto and the post 7 extends into this sleeve. The plate 8 is formed with dowels 10 which extend into suitable drilled openings in the top ledge 9 of the door opening. The bottom of the post has a pin 11 therein and this pin fits into a suitable drilled hole in the bottom ledge 4 of the door opening. The latch 12 is mounted on the plate 8 and consists of a finger 13 which enters a suitable hole in the top ledge 3 thus holding the plate 8 in position. The latch 12 is of the sliding type so that the finger 13 can be forced into a suitable slot for the purpose of holding the plate in position. A sleeve 14 is slidably mounted on the post 7 and this sleeve is moved vertically on the post by a ram or jack 15, which will be further described. An arm 16 tilted States Patent-O is fixedly mounted on the sleeve 14 and extends horizontally from this sleeve. To the outer end of the arm 16 there is attached a bar 17 and the bar is swivelly mounted on the outer end of the arm. 16 by the pin 18.

A seat belt 19 is worn by the invalid and this seat belt is attached to the bar 17 by the usually and well known attaching clips 20, these clips being of the quick attach and detach type. The invalid is seated in the belt 19 and is raised or lowered along the post 7, i. e., he is raised or lowered to the required height to move him from a position outside of the vehicle to the seat 5, or vice versa. The jack 15 is preferably of the hydraulic type and the details thereof are disclosed in the following patents: 2,064,445, December 15, 1936, and 2,146,403, February 7, 1939. Since the interior construction of this type of jack is, therefore, usually and well known, a detailed explanation thereof will be eliminated. The jack 15 is mounted parallel to the post 7 and the lower end of the jack is supported on a foot 21 which is fixedly attached to the post 7 and projects horizontally therefrom. The piston or movable portion 22 of the jack 15 is secured to the sleeve 14 by means of a pair of pins 23. The piston portion 22 is moved upwardly when the handle 24 is reciprocated. This handle moves in a vertical plane, i. e., in axial alignment with the piston 22. The entire assembly of the post 7, the jack 15, arm 16 and seat belt 19 can be rotated with the post 7 acting as the center of rotation. The post 7 rotates within the sleeve 9 and on the dowel 11, thus permitting the invalid to be swung either into the automobile or outwardly from the automobile and through the door opening 2.

In operation with: The operation of my invalid lift is as follows: The post 7 and the attached jack 15 are first mounted within the vehicle door opening 2 by placing the fitting 8 in engagement with the top ledge 3 of the door and then dropping the dowel 11 into a suitable hole in the bottom ledge 4. The invalid is wearing the belt 19, and the sleeve 14 is lowered by lowering the jack 15 until the quickly attachable connectors 20 can be secured to the bar 17. The invalid is preferably facing the vehicle since it is easier to attach the belt in this position. The handle 24 of the jack 15 is now operated, i. e., it is pumped up and down, the sleeve 14 is thus moved up wardly on the post 7 to the desired height. The sleeve 14 with its attached arm 16 and carrying the belt 19 is now rotated and the invalid is placed on the seat 5. The reverse operation occurs when the invalid is removed from the vehicle.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An invalid lift for vehicles having a door opening, comprising, a vertical post, dowels on the upper and lower ends of the post, said door opening having holes to receive said dowels, a seat belt, a sleeve slidably mounted on the post, an arm projecting from said sleeve, detachable means securing the seat belt to said arm and. jacking means engaging the sleeve whereby the sleeve may be slid on the post.

2. An invalid lift for vehicles having a door opening, comprising, a post, means removably mounting said post in the door opening, a seat belt, a sleeve slidably and rotatably mounted on the post, an arm projecting from said sleeve, means detachably securing the: seat belt to said arm, jacking means mounted on said post and engaging the sleeve whereby the sleeve may he slid on thepost.

comprising, a post, dowels on the upper and lower ends of the post, said door opening having holes therein to receive said dowels, a seat belt, a sleeve slidably and" rotatably mounted on the post, an arm projecting from the sleeve, means detachably securing the seat belt to. said arm, a jack mounted on the post and parallel:

3. An invalid lift for vehicles having a door opening,

thereto, means connecting the jack and the sleeve whereby the sleeve may be slid on the post.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Adams June 27, 1950 Crise Feb. 6, 1951 Don Jan. 15, 1952 Corley Apr. 28, 1953 Hoyer et a1 Sept. 1, 1953 Osborne Nov. 10, 1953 Lamb Jan. 25, 1955 

